Self-loading and self-propelled vehicle



SELF-LOADING AND SELF-PROPELLED VEHICLE Fi'led June 6, 1939 v 7 Shegts-Sheet 1 j i 9 c3 INVEN TOR. f/nar N Arenfze/z BY A TTORNEY Ocf. 13, 1 42. I E. M. ARENTZENI SELF-LOADING AND SELF-PROPELLED VEHICLE Filed June 6, 1939 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 mm m a Q mm Q IN VEN TOR.

H 6 m. M. N 5 W W m T A Oct. 13, 1942. 5 M. ARENTZEN SELF-LOADING AND SELF-PROPELLED VEHICLE 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 6, 1939 Jkl a 6 @Mw \NJ INVENTOR. L '/7dr /7. Arenfzen WW ATTORNEY Oct. 13, 1942. M, ARENTZEN SELF-LOADING AND SELF-PROPELLED' VEHICLE Filed June a, 1939 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. 'f/kldr N/Iren fzen 5 I g p ATTORNEY 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR A TTORNEY Q MM 3 5 NE 3 5 5 w? w E. M. ARENTZEN SELF-LOADING AND SELF-PROPELLED VEHICLE Filed June 6, 1939 Oct. 13, 1942.

Mg gay/e7 30a Oct. 13, 1942. E. M. ARENTZEN 7 2,298,448

SELF-LOADING AND SELF-PROPELLED VEHICLE I 7 Filed June 6 1959 v 7 Sheeis-Sheet 7 g BY MM ATTORNEYQ Patented Oct. 13, 1942 SELF-LOADING AND SELF-PROPELLED VEHICLE 'E inar M. Arentzen, Franklin, Pa assignor,

mesneassignments, to Joy Manufacturing Company, Franklin, Pa.,

sylvania a corporation of Penn- Application June 6, 1939, Serial No. 277,627

This invention relates to a vehicle or car for transporting material and in particular to a selfpropelled vehicle or car which is self-loading and self-unloading.

In general my invention relates to a self-propelled vehicle or car which is capable of and may be used to advantage for loading loose or semisolid material, and to transport the same to a discharge station where the car is unloaded. It is especially adapted for use in the gathering and loading of coal-at the working face in an underground mine worked on the usual room and pillar system; to shuttle back and forth between the working face and the unloading station in the haulage entry to transport the coal so loaded to the haulage entry; and to discharge the coal therein into a suitable receptacle, such as a string of mine cars, or onto a belt or chain conveyor.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a car or vehicle having a relatively large load carrying compartment and provided with means for gathering material from the floor or surface upon which the car travels and delivering it into the load carrying compartment, and which may be readily driven from place to place to transport the loaded material to a suitable unloading station where the material is readily discharged or unloaded and the load carrying compartment emptied.

Another object of this invention is to provide a self-propelled, self-loading car or vehicle, having an extremely large capacity, for use in the mining of coal and other minerals, which is provided with a pivoted discharge section capable of being swung about a horizontal axis whereby the elevation of the discharge end may be varied at will to permit the car to be unloaded into receptacles of different heights.

A further object is to provide a self-propelled vehicle or car of large load carrying capacity for use in underground mines which is mounted on pneumatic tired wheels so that it can be driven anywhere in the mine without the necessity of laying track, and, while of relatively large size, will readily pass around the corners and other obstructions found in the confined area of a mine.

These and other objects which will hereinafter be made apparent to those skilled in this particular art are accompli bed by means of this invention, one embodiment of which is described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a self-propelled vehicle or car embodying my invention;

2 Claims. (Cl. 214-83) Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the car shown in Fig. l;

Figs. 3 and 3A are enlarged sectional views taken on the line III-III of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the.

gathering head taken on the line IVIV of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line VV of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view illustrating the brake mechanism for the car;

Fig; '7 is an enlarged section taken on the line VII VII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged plan view of the chassis of the car showing the hydraulic system for controlling the various operating parts of the car;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view of the gathering head. illustrating the drive for the gathering arms, the loading conveyor and the main conveyor of'the car and having a portion broken away for convenience of illustration;

Fig. 11 is a view in side elevation of a car embodying another exemplification of my invention;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the car shown in Fig. 11 with the forward end of the car broken away for convenience of illustration; and

Fig. 13 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating a modified form of mounting the driving wheels of the car.

Referring to the drawings, l0 represents a large capacity vehicle or car embodying my invention, designed. expressly for use in low-roofed underground mines, such as coal mines, for loading coal from the floor of the mine at the working face and conveying it to a discharge station where it is unloaded into a suitable receiving receptacle, such as a string of mine cars or a belt or chain conveyor.

The car In comprises a main load carrying or body section II having a discharge or auxiliary body section l2 pivotally connected to one end thereof, and a gathering and loading head l3 pivotally connected to the other end which is adapted to gather the material from the floor or surface upon which the car is moving and deliver the same into the car.

The main body section II of the car I0 is fabricated or made up of a pair of spaced longitudinally extending angles I 5 connected together at the forward end of the body, or the end of the body carrying the gathering head l3, by a channel bar It, which, together with the angles,

forms the main frame of the car. Secured to the top of the angles l5 are upwardly and out- Y wardly sloping plates |1 having outwardly proalso have flange portions 26 which are connected to and form continuations of the flanges- |3. The flanges act as cover plates for drive motors of the gathering head hereinafter described. Angles II are also connected together by vertically spaced bottom plates 2|, 22 which extend longitudinally of the main body section II and have their side edges welded to or otherwise connected to the angles I5.

While .the forward end of the lower plate 22 extends underneath and is welded to the channel bar ii, the upper plate 2| terminates a short distance from the channel to provide a space between the edge of the plate and the channel I6 for receiving a cross shaft 23. The shaft 23 is journaled in bearings 24, mounted on the outside of the angles l5 and has a pair of sprockets 25 secured thereto in spaced relation for engaging the parallel chains 26 of an endless conveyor of the drag or scraper type having its upper reach traveling over and supported on the plate' 2| and its lower reach traveling over and supported on the plate 22. A series of spaced scrapers or flights 21 extend between and have their'ends connected to the opposed chains 26 for conveying the material over the top plate 2|;

The main body section II of the car III is supported for movement over the floor of the mine on pneumatic tired driving wheels 30 located at the forward end of the car adjacent the gathering head l3 and pneumatic tired steering wheels 3| located at the rear or discharge end thereof. The front driving wheels 30 are of dual construction and the wheel on each side of the car is mounted on a stub axle 32 which is carried by a bracket 33. The brackets 33 are secured to the angle member l5 on the outside of the car and tend to support and brace the side walls Each of the forward driving wheels 30 is inde-. pendently driven, and the drive is effected through a sprocket 34 secured to the hub of each wheel which is connected by a chain 35 through a suitable gear case 36 with a suitable electric motor 31, mounted on the side plate II of the car.

Each of the steering wheels 3| is joumaled on a T-shaped stub axle 39 which is mounted for turning movement in a bracket 40 secured to the angle member IS on the outside of the car. One of the axles 39 carries a substantially straight steering knuckle 4| and the other carries a substantially U-shaped knuckle 32, which is connected at its base to the knuckle 4| by a connectin rod 43 so that both wheelsturn in the same direction. The wheels 3|, 3| are turned or steered by means of a steering rod 44 connected at one end to the U-shaped knuckle 42 and at its other end to a piston (not shown) which operates in a cylinder 45, By admitting fluid pressure alternately to the opposite ends of the cylinder 45 the wheels may be readily turned to guide the car in'any direction. desired.

The means for controlling the delivery of 'hydraulic pressure to the opposite ends of the cylinder 45 will be hereinafter described.

Thedischarge or auxiliary body section I2 is similar in construction to the main body section II in that it is provided with two spaced longitudinally extending side walls 53, which are secured at their lower ends to angle members (not shown in detail) connected together throughout their length by transversely extending vertically spaced plates 5|, 52 which have their side edge welded to the angle plates. The discharge or auxiliary body section I2 is of somewhat less w dth than the main body section II and the front end is telescoped between the angles I5 and side walls ll of the main body section II. The lower; forward end of the discharge section is supported for turning movement about a horizontal axis on stub shafts 53 which are also journaled in the side angles |5 of the body section II. The side plates 50 of the discharge section overlap the side walls I! of the body section II and are provided with elongated slots 55 for receiving bolts 55 extending inwardly from the side walls II which limit the angle through which the discharge section 2 may be turned. Nuts 56 are threaded on the ends of.bolts 55 to prevent the bolts from being dislodged and the plates 53 from being separated from the plates II.

In order to turn the rear discharge section |2 about the pivot 53, a bracket 51 is secured to each of the side plates 50, to which is secured one end of a rod 58 having its other end secured to a piston (not shown) operating in a cylinder 59 journaled at its rear end to the side wall By admitting fluid under pressure into the cylinders 59, the rear discharge section of the car may be readily raised and lowered.

From this construction it is apparent that the rear of the discharge section of the car is capable of a limited movement about a horizontal axis relative to the main body section, and that as a result the extreme rear of the car may be raised and lowered to vary the height of the discharge end to permit the car to discharge into material receiving means of various heights.

At'the extreme rear end of the car a cross shaft 65 is journaled in the side plates 50 which forms the idler shaft of the endless conveyor and around which the chains 26 carrying the flights 21 are guided by a pair of sprockets 6|. The upper reach of the chains 26 passes over the plate 5| and the shaft 66 is arranged to guide the chains around the rear end of the plate 5| and to return them above the plate 52, and in order to form a continuous trough for the passage of material through the car, the forward end of the plate 5| extends underneath the rear end of the plate 2| and the forward end of the plate 52 rides on the top of the bottom plate 22 of the main body section.

The chains 26 are held in position during the raising and lowering of the rear discharge portion |2 of the car by rollers 63 which are mounted on stub shafts 64 carried by the angles l5 of the main body section II of the car adjacent the pivot 53 and which engage the tops of the chains 26 and hold them into close proximity with the plates 2| and 5|. In order to permit vertical swinging movement of the discharge section l2 about the pivot point 53 without stretching the chains 26, the rear conveyor shaft 60 is provided with a take up mechanism indicated at 65, of usual construction, which permits the shaft 65 to slide in slots (not shown) formed in the side walls 50 and maintain the chains 26 under the desired tension regardless of the angle of vertical adjustment of the discharge section I2.

The gathering and loading head I3 comprises a frame I having a substantial V-shaped nose or apron II which is adapted to slide over the mine floor and over which coal is moved by a.

pair of arms I2 traveling in a non-circular orbital path, the movement of the arms being substantially similar to that disclosed in Joy Patent No. 1,306,064 which gather the coal from the mine floor and move it across the apron II and deliver the same into position to be engaged by an endless chain scraper conveyor I4 traveling longitudinally in a trough I5. Each of the arms I2 is mounted on a pin I6 carried by a crank arm 11 Journaled in the head I0. Each crank arm II has a spiral gear I6 connected thereto which meshes with a spiral pinion I9 on a cross drive shaft 60 suitably journaled in the frame of the gathering head. Mounted on the outer ends of the shaft 80 are sprockets 6i connected by sprocket chains 82 with sprockets 83 on the drive shafts of suitable gear reduction units 64, driven by the electric motors 85. The arms I2, which are adapted to clear a path for the advance of the head, are arranged to travel in non-circular orbital paths, which intersect in front of the apron II, and a slotted link 86, mounted on a pin 61 journaled in the head I0, is attached to the rear end of each arm to impart the desired movement to the arms. The coal delivered by the arms I2 into the conveyor trough I-is conveyed upwardly and rearwardly by the scraper conveyor I4, the chains of which are driven from the shaft 60 by sprocket chains 90, which pass around sprockets 9I on the shaft 80 and sprockets 92 on a foot shaft 93, journaled in the head I0 and having driving sprockets 94 thereon engaging the chains of the endless conveyor I4. The rear or tail end of the endless conveyor I4 passes around and is supported by an idler shaft 95 journaled in the frameIli-u Gathering head I3 is mounted for vertically swinging movement relative to the main body section II of the car on horizontalpivots 96. In order to raise and lower the head, a pair of single acting hydraulic cylinders orjacks 91 are provided, one on each side of the car, the cylinders of which are pivotally secured at their closed ends to the brackets 96 carried by the frame of the car. Each cylinder or jack 91 has a piston slidable therein pivotally connected by a piston rod 99 with the frame of the head.

The motors 65 are also employed to drive the chains 26 of the endless conveyor extending from the forward end of the main body section II to the rear end of the discharge section I2 and for this purpose a sprocket chain I00 is provided, which passes around a sprocket IOI mounted on the drive shaft of one of the gear reduction units 84, and a sprocket I02 secured to a short shaft I03 which is journaled in the frame adjacent the 7 end of the shaft 23. To drive shaft 23 from the shaft I03, which is continuously driven from the motor 85, a clutch is provided, one element I04 of which is rigidly secured to the shaft 23, and the other element I05 is splined for sliding movement on the shaft I03. To move the sliding element I05 'of the clutch into and out of engagement with the element I04 on-the shaft 23 a double acting hydraulic cylinder or jack I06 is mounted on the clutch casing I01 and has its actuating piston connected by a rod I08 with a pivoted link I09 attached to the sliding collar I III of the clutch element I05. From this construction it is apparent that when the piston Is moved back and forth in the cylinder I06,"the. clutch element I05 is moved either into or out of engagement with the clutch element I04, depending on the direction of movement of the elieilment I05, and the chains 26 may be driven at w Power is delivered to the motors 31, from'a suitable source of supply by means of a cable III wound on a reel discharge portion I2 of the car, and driven in the usual manner by a motor II2a so that when the car is moving in a direction away from the source, cable is played out, and when it is moving in the opposite direction, toward the source, the cable III is rewound on the reel II2.

When the car embodying my invention is in op eration in the mine, it is driven forward in the mine with the gathering head I3 in its raised position, until it reaches the working face, which has been prepared for loading in the usual manner. As the car approaches the face, the head I3 is then lowered and the car advanced until the head comes in contact with the material or coal to be loaded. The gathering arms I2 may be operating as the car approaches the face, or the arms may be set in motion after the head has been moved into contact with the material to be loaded. The arms I2 gather the coal from the mine floor and deliver it into the trough I5 of the chain and scraper conveyor 14, which is always in operation when the arms are operating and which conveys or delivers the coal into the load carrying compartment of the main body I I, where it piles up adjacent the discharge end of the gathering conveyor I4. The coal piled up adjacent the front end of the car is intermittently moved toward the discharge end of the car by the operator, who operates the clutch to set in motion the chains 26 of the conveyor in the bottom of the car. This operation is repeated until the car is fully loaded. When the car has been fully loaded, the gathering head I 3 is again raised and the operator drives the car to the discharge station where he may or may not raise the discharge end of the car I2 in order to clear the receiving receptacle. As soon as the discharge end of the car has been positioned over the receiving end of the receptacle, the operator again engages the clutch elements I04, I05 to set in motion the chains and the scrapers 26, 21 to convey the material in the car into the receiving receptable. When the entire load has been discharged, the clutch is disengaged and the operator again drives the car to the working face where the operation of loading is repeated.

In Fig. 9 I have shown the hydraulic controls for operating the various mechanisms on my improved car. Mounted above the motor 31 on one side of the car I0 is a hydraulic pump indicated at I20 driven by a suitable electric motor I20a. Leading from the outlet side of the pump I20 is a single line I2I for delivering fluid under pressure to a control box I22, which has a series of valves for controlling the delivery of fluid under pressure to the various hydraulic cylinders or jacks. Control box I 22 is located on the side of the car adjacent the operators platform I 23 and has a valve I24 provided with lines I25, I26 leading therefrom to opposite ends of the jack 45 which is of the dual acting type and which controls the steering of the car. When the valve I24 is moved in one direction, fluid is admitted through the line I26 to the cylinder 45 which moves the piston II2 mounted on the side of the toward the right. as viewedin the drawings, and turns the wheels to the position indicated in the dotted lines. When the valve is moved in the opposite direction, fluid pressure is admitted to the cylinder through the line I25 and the wheels are turned in the opposite direction. The cyl-. inders 53 for controlling the raising and lowering of the rear discharge section of the car are also of the dual acting type and are connected by lines I21, I25 with a valve I23 in the control box I22. By moving the valve I23 in one direction, fluid under pressure passes through line I21 to I between the shaft 23 and theshaft I05. This cylinder is also of the dual acting type and has lines I3I, I32 leading from opposite ends thereof to the control valve. The jacks 51 controlling the raising and lowering of the gathering head I3 are of a single acting type and are connected by a line I33 with a valve I34 in the control box I22. When the valve I34 is actuated in one direction, pressure is admitted to the cylinders 51 and the head I3 is raised. When it is returned to its normal position, the pressure in the cylinder is relieved and the head is lowered by gravity. The fluid returning to the control box I22 from the jacks 45, 59, 91 and I01, is delivered through line I35 into a suitable storage tank I31 located adjacent the pump I20 from which it is drawn and recirculated by the pump I20.

While any suitable type of brake may be used on my car, I have shown in Figs. 5 and 6 a hydraulic braking system of the usual type which can be successfully employed. The braking sys- '40 tern illustrated comprises a pair of internally expanding brake shoes I40 pivotally mounted on the inside of each of the hubs I of the drive wheels 30 and held in their contracted position by a spring I42. To expand the brake shoes I40 and move them into braking relation with the hub, a cylinder I43, having two oppositely movable pistons therein, is mounted between the brake shoes, and the pistons are connected by rods I44 to the shoes I40. As is general practice in this type of brake, the hydraulic system is closed and a plunger (not shown) controlled by the movement of a foot pedal indicated at I45 (Fig. '7) is used to move the piston rods I44 outwardly and move the brake shoes I40 into contact with the hub ItI. On release of the foot pedal I45, the spring I42 retracts the brake shoes and returns them to inoperative position.

In Figs. 11, 12 and 13 I have shown another exemplification of my invention in which the car is provided with 4-.-wheel steering to facilitate its movement around curves and to permit the car to be used in mines and other places where short turning radii are necessary. In this exemplification, each of the drive wheels 30a of the car is mounted on a cylindrical hub I50 which is Jour- I naled on the outer end of the casing of a motor I5I, having its inner end secured by welding to an annular member I52, which surrounds the inner end of the motor. The annular member I52 is also provided with oppositely disposed pin and bearing receiving sockets I53, which register with opposed pin receiving sockets I54 formedin a bracket I55 which is secured to the side of the car. In assembling the wheels on the car, the

three intermediate gears I55 driven by a pinion I5I on the motor shaft I52.

In order to steer the driving wheels 38a as well as the wheels Ila, one of the annular members I52 is provided with an L-shaped extension I54 and the other is provided with an extension I55 equal in length and parallel to one of the legs of the extension I54 to which it is attached by a tie rod I55. The other leg of the L-shaped extension I64 is connected to one end of a rod I51 having'its opposite end connected to the upper end of a vertically extending lever I65 pivoted at I55 to the side of the ,car. The end of the lever I55 below 'the' pivot I55 is connected to the end of a rod I10, which has its opposite end connected to the steering knuckle 42a for the wheels Ila, which are connected together by the tie rod 43a.

From this construction it is apparent that when the lever I55 is turned to the right as shown in Fig. 11, the wheels 50a, 3Ia will be turned to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 12, and when the lever is turned to the left, the wheels will be turned in the opposite direction, and since all wheels are turned the car can be made to negotiate relatively sharp curves.

In order to turn the lever I55, a hydraulic jack 45a of the dual or double acting type is secured to the side of the car and a rod 44a connects the piston (not shown) in the cylinder with the lever I50. Motive fluid is introduced into the cylinder or jack 45a and the operation of the cylinder or jack is controlled in the manner heretofore described in connection with the jack 45, which, when all wheels are to be driven, is replaced by the jack 450., as heretofore set forth.

While I have described a self-propelled material transporting vehicle made in accordance with my invention, it is apparent to those skilled in this particular art that certain modifications, substitutions, additions or omissions may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure Letters Patent is:

1. A mine shuttle car comprising a wheeled body having outwardly sloping sidewalls and a substantially flat floor, an auxiliary body pivoted to said first mentioned body below the floor thereof and having side walls and a floor forming a jecting upwardly from said floor, supporting wheels for said body, an open ended auxiliary load carrying body pivotally connected to the end ing and lowering said auxiliary body, an endless conveyor extending across the floors of said main body and auxiliary body, and means for driving said traction members to transport said car be- 5 tween a loading position and a discharge position.

AREN'IZEN.

EINAR M. 

